Method of connecting an insulated conductor to a connector terminal element



Oct. 21, 1958 e. E. HILL 2,856,674

METHOD OF CONNECTING AN INSULATED CONDUCTOR TO A CONNECTOR TERMINAL ELEMENT Filed July 26, 1952 Nm .QM EN. EN?

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ENE Y5 I press the yieldable rubber supports suflicient United States. Patent METHOD OF CONNECTING AN INSULATED CONDUCTOR TO A CONNECTOR TERMI- NAL ELEMENT Gail E. Hill, Indianapolis, Ind., assiguor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application July 26, 1952, Serial No. 301,108 3 Claims. (Cl. 29155.55)

This invention relates to electrical connectors and has foran object a means and method of securely connecting electrical conductors with separable terminal elements in a Wiring harness.

In wire connectors, particularly in those of the wiring harness type where several line connectors must be contained within a small cross sectional area, it is ditficult to make satisfactory soldered connections between a wire and a connector element such as to provide a juncture that is not liable to fracture with slight flexing or bending. In electrical harness for aircraft installation a plurality of. line connectors are grouped in spaced relation relative to one another where they are supported by yieldable rubber bodies that are tightly embraced by rigid armor secured together by nuts and sleeves that tend to comto establish moisture and gas seals with respect to the conductive elements. Consequently, the conductor parts are so firmly gripped that separation of the connector elements may result in pulling the wire or conductor loose from its connector element. That is particularly true where the line connector elements have a socketed portion, or solder pot as it is sometimes called, into which the insulated wire is soldered.

The difficulties encountered with these assemblies are here largely overcome by use of a wire tip member fastened to the end of the insulated conductor, and sweated to a socketed portion of the connector element. This wire tip is soldered to the bared end of the conductor by capillary attraction and secured to the end of the insulation by staking, compressing or crimping.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a separable connector for an aircraft wiring harness that embodies the instant invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of an insulated conductor and line connector element secured together according to the instant invention.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a line connector element contributing to the assembly of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side view of an electric conductor ready for union with the connector element shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an assembled view illustrating one stage in the construction.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a wire tip suitable for practicing the instant invention, and

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of an insulated conductor in a condition receivable by the wire tip of Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings 10 indicates a sec tion of armor, 12 a split nut, 14 a sleeve, 16 a nut and 18 a section of armor designed to make a separable housing for enclosing insulated conductors 20, 22, 24 and 26. These conductors are each fitted with separable connector pin elements 28 engageable with separable connector sleeve elements 30. The line connector elements 28 are supported by soft rubber or yieldable insulators 32 and 34 surrounded by a sleeve 14 that is retained in the armor member 10 by the split nut 12. The insulator 32 is embraced by a band 36 supported in one end of the armor 10. When the nut 12 is tightened the insulators 32 and 34 are compressed to cause them to grip more tightly the contact elements 28. In a similar manner the nut 16 and armor 18 with similar means operate to compress the insulator 38 upon the connector elements 36.

Heretofore it was the practice to solder the electrical elements 20 and 22 directly to the socketed end 40 of the connector elements 28 and 30 which practice failed to provide a strong enough connection between the wires and the connector elements. A similar fault obtained with respect to the juncture between the electric conductors 24 and 26 and the connector elements 30. Fig. 2 shows the construction by which the fault is overcome, which includes a wire tip 42 operating to secure the insulated conductor 44 to connector element 28.

The improved juncture between the electrical conductor 44 and either of the line connector elements is accomplished by stripping off the end of the insulation to provide'a bared end of wire 46 which is covered by what I prefer to term a wire tip 42 shown in section in Fig. 6. This tip member constitutes a tubular member having a stepped bore of large diameter within the shank 50 joining a small bore 52 within a barrel portion 54. After the bared portion 46 of the insulated conductor is fluxed the wire tip is passed over the end of the insulated conductor so that the bore 48 embraces the end of the insulation 44 and so that the bared portion .46 extends along the barrel 54 and protrudes at 56 as is shown in Fig. 1

5. The assembly of insulated wire and wire tip as shown in Fig. 5 is then dipped endwise into molten solder so that molten solder flows into crevices between the wires 46 within the bore 52, which it will do by capillary attraction. The molten solder will thereby be absorbed up into the barrel of the wire tip and will leave a crown of solder at the end .of the tip substantially as indicated at 58 in Fig. 4. The end of the shank 50 is then crimped or compressed inwardly to bite into the insulation 44 as is indicated at 60.

The insulated conductor 44 with a wire tip attached as shown in Fig. 4 is then assembled with a connector element 28 or 30 so that the barrel 54 enters into the socketed end 40 of the terminal 28 where it is sweated into place. This may be done by placing a carbon rod on the end 40 of the terminal with application of current until the sweating process is completed. An insulated wire, secured to the wire tip 42 and assembled with the connector 28 is shown in Fig. 2. It may be necessary to add a little rosin core solder to the recess 62 of the assembly, but usually the crown of solder 58 at the end of the barrel member is sufficient when melted to bond the barrel 54 and socket 40 into a firm electrically conductive juncture. With this construction, when the terminal elements are mounted and assembled as shown in Fig. 1, the insulated conductors will be firmly supported by the wire tips 42 so that breakage of the electrical connections will be overcome.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. The method of connecting an insulated conductor to a connector terminal element having a conductor receiving socket in which the end of the conductor is adapted to be secured which includes the steps of securing to'the end of the conductor a wire tip having different Patented Oct. 21, 1958 inner and outer diameters in different portions thereof by first stripping the insulation from the conductor adjacent one end thereof, positioning the wire tip on the end of the conductor so that the bared portion of the conductor is within the smaller diametered portion of said tip and an insulated part of the conductor is Within the larger diametered portion of the tip, then dipping the smaller portion of the tip into solder to effect soldering of the bared portion of the conductor thereto by capillary attraction, then. anchoring the larger diametered portion of the wire tip to the insulated part of the conductor which is positioned therein and subsequently inserting the smaller diametered portion of the tip within the conductor receiving socket of the connector element and securing it in such position by a sweating operation.

2. The method of connecting an insulated conductor to a connector terminal element having a conductor receiving socket in which the end of the conductor is adapted to be secured which includes the steps of securing to the end of the conductor a wire tip having different inner and outer diameters in different portions thereof by first stripping the insulation from the conductor adjacent one end thereof, positioning the wire tip on the end of the conductor so that the bared portion of the conductor is within the smaller diametered portion of said tip with the bared end of the conductor extending slightly beyond the end of said tip and the insulated part of the conductor within the larger diametered portion of said tip, then dipping the smaller portion of the tip into solder to effect soldering of the bared portion of the conductor thereto by capillary attraction and the formation of a head of solder around the projecting bared end of the conductor, then anchoring the larger diametered portion of the wire tip to the insulated part of the conductor which is positioned therein and subsequently inserting the smaller diametered portion of the tip within the conductor receiving socket of the connector element and securing it in such position by a sweating operation.

3. The method of connecting an insulated conductor to a connector terminal element having a conductor receiving socket in which the end of the conductor is adapted to be secured which includes the steps of securing to the end of the conductor a wire tip having different inner and outer diameters in different portions thereof by first stripping the insulation from the conductor adjacent one end thereof, positioning the wire tip on the end of the conductor so that the bared portion of the conductor is within the smaller diametered portion of said tip with the bared end of the conductor extending slightly beyond the end of said tip and the insulated part of the conductor within the larger diametered portion of said tip, then dipping the smaller portion of the tip into solder to effect soldering of the bared portion of the conductor thereto by capillary attraction and the formation of a head of solder around the projecting bared end of the conductor, then anchoring the larger diametered portion of the wire tip by crimping that part of the wire tip into the insulation of the wire, and subsequently inserting thesmaller diametered portion of the tip within the conductor receiving socket of the connector element and securing it in such position. by a sweating operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 738,545 Kaisling Sept. 8, 1903 757,192 Houghton Apr. 12, 1904 1,783,642 Ferguson et al Dec. 2, 1930 2,293,455 Disch et a1 Aug. 18, 1942 2,297,785 Lake Oct. 6, 1942 2,513,365 Rogofi July 4, 1950 2,521,056 Frei et a1. Sept. 5, 1950 2,655,638 Allen Oct. 13, 1953 

